The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1887-10-13

JHelF IdUe WIS III my llhluS' Oh1C OH
is fair in love and war, and that from
that day forth | simply owned the
place. corntield, niggers, guitar and
Methodist preachers, all included.
And gentlemen" and he dwelt with
some particular and meaning empha-
sis upon the "and" "she, Ellen, was
10 and was %.
"Durlng the next two months all
our foraging somehow was in their di-
rection. 1t seemed perhaps to the
horses that everything available In
the food line had migrated to the dis.
trict back of the Sunderland planta-
ton, which had to be passed in order
to light on anything at all. There
was something about the Sunderland |
cuisine, too, that must have appear
ed very tempting to my men, for did |
not willingly believe, miss a meal. |
Ellen and |, in fact, were constantly |
together. The old folks made no OBJ
lection. The blue eyes OF the golden
haired sister beamed the sweetest |
kind OF approval, the days were long, |
and the twilights of the dim old tir |
woods perfect, and--I believe | men, |
toned the fact. gentlemen" SAID the |
commander-m-c chief, with sigh, "that
she was 10 and | was 20.
81 might remark parenthetically
that there is nothing in life quite SO
fascinating as to be isolated in the
wilderness in company with q beautl-
full woman. Several books have been
written with that one idea to carry
them, and like Charles Reade's Foul
Play they have always caught the
public's eye. There was no senti-
mental talk between us. The crack
of the guerrilla rifle, the distant
boom Of battle, the war smoke in the
air, and the period when no one knew
what day might bring forth were
very i'll adapted for sincere love
making, and that anything in the
shape of man could have made love
to Ellen Sunderland inslncerely it
would take a pretty bitter cynlc to
believe. But we were together none
the less; together when the tree shad-
ows crept slowly across the hot, still,
brown fields when the sun sank lower
and lower toward the mountains
SUBMITS; together in The stiffness and
loneliness of the moss grown alsles OF
the woods in the noontide heat; to-
gether when the big round harvest
moon hung still and shimmering like
great shield OF gold balanced against
the black velvet wall OF the autumn
what we did and what we thought it
matters not. 1t would be to you very
like o chestnut, perhaps, to dwell up
on it. Every woman knows who has
ever been 10; every man remembers
who knew what it was to be %.
Well, one day l entered the house
had surprise. l had heard rumors
OF there being wounded rebel officer
in hiding at the Sunderlands. / had
paid no attention to them,
however, believing them to be without
foundation. But on this day, entering
! the house as usual without knocking.
| opened the door OF the reception
room or parlor, the first door on the
right hand side Of the hall, which ran
through the house. There was a
large fireplace in this room on the
side opposite the door. AS | stepped
in l saw an easy chair, high backed,
in front Of this fire. | was instantly
conscious in some way-for | certain
| ly saw nothing OF him-tiiat q man
and a stranger, was sitting in that
chair. did not attempt to see any
more. stepped out, closed the door,
and quietly took chair in the sit
ting-room opposite. In a moment Or
| two the eldest daughter came in hur-
riedly, pale and agitated.
"Mr,-.' she gasped, Did you go
into the other room?'
81 did," said l.
90 Did you see anybody"
al did not, answered very quiet
ly, She looked ME squarely in the
eye. | looked squarely back. She
bowed and, apparently relieved,
passed out.
She was scarcely gone before Addie
came in the sitting room.
"Oh, Mr. she said, and then
stopped in perpleSity.
"'What is it" | asked.
81 was going to ask-I-that is
did you 60 into the other room?'
81 did, said |.
"Did you see anybody"
II did not
"And then, with the same question
on her lips, Ellen came in, ignorant
Of what had occurred with the others
| She was very grave, almost sad. She
asked me the same question in % low,
and appealing tone | did not like
even a subterfuge with her. When she
asked if had penetrated the mysteri
Gus apartment asked. shaking my
head.
"And why? Is there anything in
his house to conceal?'
'Tne eldest sister, who had return
ed, shook her head in denial. 1t was
no wonder. He was her husband, |
suppose. | looked at Ellen and Addie
They looked away. They never look.
ed as lovely, at least to me. For they
would not tell lie and they trusted
me.
"Well, | heard no more OF the
stranger, and things ran on as before
for a week Or two. Then there came
repeated rumors OF the guerrillas in
the neighborhood and we began to
take extra precautions. | continued
to call daily at the Sunderlands, and
one afternoon as | was going away
Ellen seemed particularly i'll at ease.
She was nervous, hesitating, and alto
gether unlike herself. said goodbye
to her at the porch and went out to
my horse. AS was about to mount
she came out OF the house toward me,
bearing q long, rich, crimson silk scarf,
with fine tassels OF white silk at either
end. She held it out to me, saying:
evil you wear this-for me?'
"'I canont rob you, 1said. Outside
of the guitar believe it was the only
thing OF any value that she had left
i'll the world.
please wear it, she said. And
while 1 hesitated she deity put 1t
around my neck, and before suspect
ed had put her arms around, too, and
kissed me souarely on the lips. As
looked at her, quite staggered, in ali
altogether happy state OF surprise, the
tears sprang to her eyes, she turned
away and went hastily into the house.
II rode down the road slowly. Her
conduct was so strange, the memory
| Of the kiss the FIRST and last she even